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ilw § an a §hj mt “Holy Bible, —Book Divine, Brecious treasure, thou art mine.” H. C. HORN AD Y and JAMES N. ELLS, EDITORS AND PROPRIETORS. J. M. WOOD, ) J. S. BAKER, VAssociate Editors. D. P. EVERETT, ) ATLANTA, OEORGIA: Saturday, October 4, 1862. The readers of The Banner and Baptist have been informed of the new relationship entered into by the present proprietors. — We tender a respectful salulem to oui read ers, and friends everywhere. With, we trust, some realization of the responsibilities incurred in assuming our present duties, we take the humble post assigned us ’neath the folds of our Banner— pledging our best efforts for the promotion of those principles calculated to advance the cause dear to our hearts. J- N. E. Regard for Others. There is no more striking evidence of the fallen condition of man than is to be seen in the selfishness which he exhibits in his intercourse with his fellows. Rushing j on in hot pursuit of his own real or sup posed interests, he does not often stop to consider what effect his eagerness for per sonal good may exert upon the welfare of those around him ; and hence in his reckless • career he too unfrequently jostles, and per- ' chance overthrows, those who have as good claims to success as himself. But where the religion of Christ is adopted as the gov- ; erning principle of life, selfishness, sharply ■ defined, seems to be entirely out of place., This blessed religion inculcates regard for -LoUa-asta. -ofLolhers ; aiid in order to make its behests more influential, it begins with the sentiments and affections of the mind and heart. ‘Thou shall love thy neighbor as thyself,’ is the great prin ciple upon which man is called to act as he passes along the path of life. Every action which we perform affects, either directly or indirectly, the happiness of others, and, as a consequence, what is-done should be well and truly considered with reference to its bearings upon our fellow men. There are certain inalienable rights possessed by ev- 1 ery man which ought t# be regarded as sacred, to say nothing of the claims of mercy and humanity. Christians are not at liberty to live for themselves alone, but there are certain claims which every man has upon their consideration, that can not be overlooked without violating the very fundamental principles qpon which their religion is based. To feed the hungry, clothe the naked, visit the sick, and relieve the distressed, are duties ; which, if entirely neglected, show the delinquent as destitute of a real and saving knowledge of Christ— and so the Great Judge has taught us lie will decide in the day of final reckoning. ‘ Inasmuch as ye did it not to these, ye did it not to Me,” is the judicial language of the Great Arbiter of human destiny. The fatherless and the widow, the help less and the oppressed, are the peculiar! objects of the Divine care, and woe be to those who oppress or even neglect them ini their day of trial and suffering. And of this class of human beings, how many wretched examples are seen in these times of war and death ! The husband and the father, with a noble and patriotic impulse, buckled on his armor, and in obedience to his country’s call rushed to the tented field, leaving his dependent family to the grateful protection of his fellow-citizens. On the blood-stained field he bared his bosom to the shock of battle: and, far from the loved ones at home, he fell, and was buried in a soldier’s humble grave. Over his ashes the Tree of Liberty rises in grandeur and beauty—drawing its support from the crimson tide which flowed from his per forated heart, as he lay with only a soldier’s blanket around him. In his onee-happy home are seen the weeds of widowhood, and are heard the cries of his orphaned children. In that home, once the abode of plenty. Want stalks with its gaunt form and sends a chill to the hearts still left beating, more terrible than that which per vades the heart of the brave soldier who hears no more the ‘ long roll’ which ouce summoned him to arms. Can these widows and orphans Inc neglected and no blush of shame crimson our cheeks as we behold them in their wretchedness ? Will the rich man surround himself with all the comforts and even the luxuries of life while the help less families of as brave and true hearts as ever beat in a soldier’s bosom are starving at his very door ? j-Will wealthy Chris tians, who have the means of relief at com mand, fail them in iheir hour of need? — The cold and cheerless winter will soon be here; the chill winds of hoarse December will soon be wailing around their humble homes, if homes they have, and no cheerful fire be heard crack Hug, upon the cold and dreary hearthstone. In the name of our country, in the name of humanity, and in the more revered name of Jesus, we call upon every patriot, and especially every Christian, to remember the fatherless and the widow in their afflictions, remembering that ‘ he who giveth to the poor lendeth to the Lord.’ Dear brother —follower of Jrsus: the Master is looking into thy heart all the time thou art reading these lines, and He will note thine action against that day when, poor and friendless, thou shall stand before His bar awaiting thy final awa an— and a hundred blood-stained fields the voices of the patriot dead arc crying to thee from the ground, and imploring thee to re member their bereaved ones in the hour of their need. And, above all, the bloody scenes of Calvary—where the peace of thy soul was purchased by the dying Redeemer —a Voice potential cries to thee to remem ber the fatherless and him that hath no helper. Blow is tlie TiirteJ Now is the time for the friends of THE BANNER to be up and doing. In less than a month we shall have reached the close of our third volume, and The Banner must be admitted as one of the existing facts of the times. Friends are rallying to its support, and if each will do its duty it will continue to wave in triumph, in ‘ the land of the free,’ and be unfurled in ‘ the homes of the brave.’ We have made arrangements to have in each number a column, or more, of origi nal and selected reading suited to the wants of our Soldiers, and those who have rela tives in the army can not confer a greater benefit upon them than to send each of them a copy of the paper. We will send the paper to soldiers at $2,50 a copy, be cause we arr particularly desirous that our brave boys should have the means of spiritual improvement in some available form. Our City Subscriber* The term for which a good many of bur city subscribers have paid is about to ex pire. And as we have labored hard to sustain the paper, we hope they will still continue to favor us with their patronage. They can obtain their papers either through the Post Office or by calling at our office, in the Franklin Printing House. ‘ Pub. DoeJ VVe are under obligation to our esteemed Representative, Hon. L. J. Gartreli, for a copy of the Report of the Committee on Post Offices and Post Roads —accompanied by a Bill from the Chairman, Hon. W. P. Chilton, of Ala., upon Sunday Mails. This is a good move, and we hope that |our Congress will pass the Bill, and that it may ultimately become the law of the land. Mrs. J. E. Dawson We are pained in bavin- to record the death of sister Dawson, the widow of the late Rev. John E. Dawson. She died, as we understand, at the plantation of Dr. Walker, in Dougherty county. She was an amiable Christian, and the friends of the deceased will pause to drop the tear of be reavement as they think of the loss they have sustained. The Cilild’K Index This is anew paper, published by bro ther Samuel Boykin in the city of Macon, and,"as its name indicates, is designed for the use of children. The first number, a copy of which we have received, 5s certain ly a good thing, and we hope the enterprise will receive that encouragement which its importance merits The specimen which we have received is very well illustrated, and it will doubtless prove very attractive, as well as instructive, to the young.— Now that we are cut off* from a supply of reading matter for children from other | sources, we should go to work to produce |it for ourselves. The Child's Index will | l>e sent at the rate of three copies to the dollar. Now is the time to give eocour jagement to this enterprise. A Serißon-Xt'xl WecV. We have received from brother A E. Marshall, the accomplished phonetician, a sketch of the sermon recently preached by jour senior, in Forsyth, and thank him for lit. This discourse will appear in our next edition. # * j All Baptist ministers and others, in the j Confederate States, friendly to the paper 5 are requested to act as Agents. The War. Since the battles of Sharpsburg and Shepherdstown, ‘ all lias been quiet along the Potomac.’ The battle of Sharpsburg seejrw to have bei n the fiercest of the season, and both armies have doubtless suffered severely.— ‘ P. W. A.’ thinks it was a drawn battle, but ‘ Personne ’ (correspondent, of the Charleston Courier) claims a victory for the Confederate arms. At Shepherdstowo the enemy were almost al nihilated. If Northern accounts are to be credited, Buell has succeeded in reaching Louisville and is acting on the defensive. General Bragg is reported to be within twenty miles of the city, and is preparing to strike a blow which we. hope will be entirely successful. The Confederate steamer ‘2 4 JO’ is re ported to have captured Gem ral Phelps and Commodore Porter. Gem ral E. lvirtiy Smith is somewhere in the neighborhood of Cincinnati, and is, perhaps, meditating an attack upon that city. Gen. Sterling Price is somewhere in Mississippi, and is watching the movements of the Federal general, Bosencrants. In all probability, before our next issue we shall have to record some bloody fight ing in Kentucky. * L.et Speculators Stand from i iider. Our armies within a few days (remarks the Milledgeville Union) have invaded Kentucky, Ohio, and Maryland, and have also recovered portions of Tennessee, Vir ginia and Missouri, that have for a long time been in possession oi the enemy.— ! These states (listen, gentlemen,) are filled jto overflowing with flour, bacon, lard, and all kinds of provisions. They have also been well supplied with northern and im ported dry goods. As soon as communica tions can be established with’them, all of those articles that have been so high in our markets will flow in, in continued streams; of course the exorbitant prices now asked for such articles wilt fall —will ‘comedown’ with a perfect rush. In prospect of such an event, many be nevolent persons have asked what will become of the Speculators? Manv plans and ways have been devised j to dispose of them, but the best plan is the one suggested by our metropolitan co. ■tampinauiy-- —.w.proposes to foim them all, old and young, into a brigade by them selves, and send them into the army.— Let them be kept entirely separate from the other troops, for fear of demoralizing the rest of the army. Let the brigade of Speculators be reserved until there is a favorable opportunity to charge, and it is sure that no troops in the world can stand their charges. * Im;oriant Decision. Judge Gould, of Augusta, has made an important decision. It seems that Jsadore Rosenfeldt, a citizen of Augusta, was ar rested in Warren county, when on a visit, by Walter I’. Greer, sub-enrolling officer, who claimed him as a conscript. He was tied by the officer (but the rope was cut from his hands by the citizens of Warren ton), v. as brought to Augusta and placed in jail. A writ of habeas corpus was ob tained from Judge Gould, who, upon a hearing, discharged the prisoner—upon the ground that the officer had no right to arrest a citizen of Richmond county. — The enrolling officer asserted, in his evi dence, that he had the power to declare martial law and suspend the writ of habeas corpus, and he was so instructed by Major Dun woody. Is it not high time that the powers of the militar y authorities and the rights of the people were distinctly defined ? * ~~ -- none} Deceived for Colporinge. New Prospect Church, $25,00. Stone Mountain Association, $17,55. Western Association, p<*r It. 11. J., $lO. G. W. Milner, $7,00. Tle ISiMincr for 1 he,Soldiers. The following sums have been received fur sending The Banner to our soldiers : Stone Mountain Association, $19,00 Lawrenceville “ 70,00 Western ‘ 30.87 €'ol|oriage amongst Ilie Soldiers. The editor of this paper has l>een author ized. by Elder A. E, Dickinson, to employ six Colporteurs in the Western and South western armies, and he calls upon the friends of the Soldier to aid in this good work. Contributions may la* sent either by mail or by express to this office, and will be faithfully employed in the manner des ignated by the donors. There are hundreds of brethren, and sisters too, who can aid us in this enterprise, and we appeal to them in the name and in behalf of their own sons, brothers and husbands. 11. C. HORN AD Y, Local Agent. Subscription price, three dollars a year. Editorial Correspondence. Jackson vh.i.e, Era., Sept. 13* Dear Danner : I once more address you from the town of Jacksonville. I came down to look after the little property left behind by toy. sob’s family, 'when they were chased away by the Yankees. The Yankees showed them but little favor, and * the natives still less. The latter appropri ated to their own use every article of any value, whether appertaining to the dwel ling, kitchen, office, faiin or garden, leaving behind not? even so much as an empty box or barrel. One or two have returned what was in their possession—others hold oil to what they have, and there is no possibility of enforcing law here as yet. One has my bedding ; I wrote to her, notifying her that l was here and had much need of it, butshe still holds on to it, as well as to some chairs and other things, so that 1 still slumber on a —-fodder bed. By the way, 1 find fodder an excellent substitute for a matress. Our Confederate soldiers have manifested but little more respect for our individual rights. There is on our lot as beatftiful a pine grove as ever you saw, and two springs —one of them a very bold one, yielding an inexhaustible supply of water. On ac count of these advantages, several com pa nies have, at different times, camped on the loi, and, instead of paying sl2 per M. for lumber at the mill, and four or five dollars for hauling, they help themselves to such as they can find adapted to their purposes in the fences and buildings around them.— They are fighting to defend our light to slave property, but seem to be forgetful of the fact that one’s right to the materials of which his fences and ituildings are composed is as absolute and as sacred as is his right to his slaves. The government will proba bly pay, ultimately, for the slaves stolen by the enemy, but will it pay for the pa lings, weather-boarding and flooring taken by Confederate soldiers ? I guess not. Florida is retrieving its character. In the early part of the war they evinced the want of that pluck which was necessary to enable them to defend successfully Fernan dina and Jacksonville. They are now do ing better with fewer men. On last Thurs day (or the night preceding it), they fired upon the enemy’s,gunboats, from a battery recently erected on St. John’s Bluff, about twenty miles below our town’ and five above St. John’s Bar. The engagement continued until between ten and twelve a. rn , when the gunboats retired. Of course they got the worst of it. Our loss was one killed and four or five wounded; but I pre sume you will see a detailed account of it in the papers. The curse threatened in Leviticus xxvi. on those who profaned the Sabbaths and Sanctuary of the Most High appears to I have fallen in all its blighting influence on j our ill-fated tow n. It now has its Sabbaths. No harping is heard in h<r halls; no din of business in her streets. Grass grows on the sidewalks,'and the Jamestown and cof fee weed in the midst of the streets. Yet for all this the Sabbath is not kept holy— the Sanctuary is not frequented. There is rarely any preaching in town. The ears are running back and fortli on the Sabbath as they were not wont to do in a time of j: eace. I have no more paper—must therefore close. This sheet was imnursed in the St. Mary’s, on my way down. —1 rob an old letter to add, That you may soon expect to hear of more daring deeds in East Florida. Busy preparations are being made—balls and cannon are being conveyed by boat and cars, but for what purpose it would not be prudent to state.— There is a little boat on our river, of light draught, that has rendered gogd service in the transportation of arms. She has been chased repeatedly by the Federal gunboats, but escapes by running up some little creek that-would appear to be haidlv navigable in a common yawl boat. J. S. B. Coua Association. This body of will hold the next session at Cedar Town, Gu., commencing on Saturday before the second Sabbath in October. As the writer has been connect ed with the missionary operations of the Coosa for many years, he w ill L.- allowed to remind the- brethren that funds will be needed. Three missions have been to some extent sustained by your 1 if *• r. li< > : the Mountain, the Coosa, and tin Clmrokce In dian missions, bur these it is hoped the churches wilt provide liberally , not forget ting col portage among the sol liers —a very important field of labor at this time.— Those who subscribed last fall for th>* sup port of D.* M. Foreman, w ill remember that now is the time t<> pay and will bring or send the funds to Cedar Tow n. May the Lord grunt a delegation and a gracious meeting! J. M. Wood. P. S. it is especially desirable that all the members of the Executive Committee should be present and hold a session on ‘ c * Saturday night. J. M. W., Ch’mn. COMMUNICATIONS. Shall we not slave* lo Read I tic Scripture#? Our Creator informs us dial He “ hath made of one blood all nations for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath de termined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation ; that they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after Him, and find Him, though M* ibe not far from every one of us. (Ad* xvii., 20.) The Founder of the Gospel has declared that “lie is the propitiation hr our sins; and riot for ours only, but also for ihe sins of the whole world.” (1 John ii., 2.) Ueter held the language, viz : “Of a truth I perceive that God is no respect' l of persons; but in every nation he that feareth Him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with Him.” (Acts x., ->t.) And again: “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is m i ther male nor female; for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.” (Galatians iii. 28.) Thus we ;e that however men may vary in co! or, in condition, in their relations to one another, they are treated by the Lord, their Saviour, as being brethren and equals in respect of f l cir origin and of the Gospel. That we justify our title to the bodily services of a portion of our fellow nu n hi this state by the law of God as revealed in the Old and New Testaments, we make no doubt. But it would seem to require a bold claimant to assert in the lace of the Scriptures a right over their souls—a right forcibly to step in between them and God —a right violently to arrest from them appropriate methods of learning of Him His will. The Scriptures, it seems to me, give no countenance to such pretensions, but ex pressly affirm the contrary. W-e shall search them in vain for the grant to one man, or a class of men, of a monopoly of their provisions and privileges. The Jews claimed it in our Saviour’s day, but it was denied to them. The Catholics h ive claim ed it, and, consistently enough, have com mitted the precise sin against which a large portion of the best population in Georgia are now protesting as having unfortunately found way into the legislation of this State, viz., the prohibiting of their fellow-men, to the extent of their unhallowed power, from reading the Scriptures. And nobly have Protestants confronted and beaten them down in the argument upon the point. — Baptists, as a body, have ever been accus tomed, so far as Ibe writer is informed, to contend for an open Bible, an unrestricted right of access to it, and absolute f reedom of conscience in construing, receiving or re jecting it. But what are the privileges of the Bible, what, the security by which we may hold them, if it be allowed to men in power to place by public law .a lock and key upon the Book at will? And if they may do so in respect of a portion of its ben eficiaries, however humble, they may equal ly do so in respect of them all. Moreover, a right on the part of temporal rulers to close the Scriptures to the eyes of men, does not consist with the duty of men t>< “ search” them. They were written doubt less that they might be read ; and if' to be read, why not by all? Who is to draw a line of distinction, and where is it to be drawn ? The Catholics, it is true, have ar guetl that as the disciples were only re quired to “ preach ” the Gospel, therefore it may be legitimately closed to the reading of all but certain official expounders of it; but how the duty of Christian ministers to I U'ea i|| ill. ' ' • ■ i o I.e I I 111 1 111 to ,1 right on the part of any to forbid the read ing of it, they have not been able to explain to the intelligence of Protestants. In vain do they labor to connect in the relation of premise and conclusion, cause and conse quence, propositions so dissimilar. But it is too plain for contradiction, I take it, that if the prohibition to read tlni Bible* can be extended on Gospel principles, by human governments, to the “ bond,” it cun be equally extended, on Gospel principles, by human governments, to the “ free ” : since, as we have seen in the outset of this article, it is expressly revealed in the New* Testa ment that “in Christ Jesus” there is “neither bond nor free.” And what a right is this on the part of us all to be sus pended on the uncontrolled discretion of a transient bod y of politicians ! Will the people of Protestant Georgia longer lie down passively under a statute of the State containing su Ai an extraordinary and un warrantable assumption of ecclesiastical authority? In all this, however, the writer is careful to question the character or rno lives of no rnan; he would regret, in mat ter or manner, to offend any. But is it not apparent that the Act in view, in so far as it prohibits the teaching of our slaves to read the \Y ord of God, is a plain encroach ment on a religious right of the highest moment, in conflict with the teachings of the Gospel, and in principle a most dan gerous precedent ? If so, it is the duty of the people of the State to see to it, it is re-